60 
BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION 
grass. This moss is alive with fish food (specimeus of which were seut). On October 
15, 1 collected 1,000 more whitefish and planted them in Yellowstone River, above the 
falls. There are unlimited numbers of these whitefish in Horsethief Spring, running 
in size from 2 to 5 inches. There are also quite a large number of grayling in the 
stream.” 
Besides the grayling and whitefish, numerous specimens of the blob were taken 
in Horsethief Spring. 
COLUMBIA RIVER DRAINAGE (682 square miles). 
The 8na1ce River, the largest tributary of the Columbia, drains tliat part of the 
Park (nearly one-fourth of the whole area) which lies to the southwest of the'Oouti- 
iieutal Divide. This large territory is chiefly a densely wooded plateau and contains 
three large lakes, Shoshone, Lewis, and Heart, the largest lakes in the Park, next to 
the Yellowstone. Two of these lakes, with their tributary streams, are without fish, 
but the other rivers. Snake, Heart, Falls, and Bechler, are said to abound in trout 
except in certain of the headwaters whore their ascent is prevented by water-falls (see 
plate XXI). As only a small part of this region was visited by us, I shall speak of 
the waters actually examined. 
Heart Lahe (elevation 7,469 feet). — This beautiful little lake lies in a deep depres- 
sion at the eastern foot of Mount Slieridan and Red Mountain. It is about 3^ miles 
long from northwest to southeast and not quite 2 miles broad. Its bottom is of lava 
gravel, rather shallow near shore but becoming deep in the middle. It is drained by 
Heart River, a considerable tributary of Snake River, without falls, and said to be well 
stocked with fish. Xear the head of the lake and in the lake are numerous geysers 
and hot springs. In the lake were found trout (Sahno myMss), slightly afflicted with 
the same worm that is found in the Yellowstone. These trout were most numerous 
about the mouth of Witch Creek, and several were taken without the fly after chubs 
had been thrown into the lake to lure them. These chubs are eagerly swallowed by 
the trout. Besides these trout, a sucker {Catostomus arde>is), chub {Leuciscus atrarius), 
shiner {Leuciscus hydrophlox), and minnow {Agosia nubila), are found in the lake. All 
of these except the trout ascend Witch Creek. A blob {Coitus) is also in the lake, 
but we were unable to catch specimens of it. There is plenty of fish-food in the lake 
and the water is not very cold, its temperature varying according to the nearness to 
the hot springs and geysers. 
Witch Creeh has its rise 2 or 3 miles above the lake, in the singular collection of 
geysers, hot springs, and steam holes known as “ Factory Hill.” Its water is at first 
scalding hot, but it gradually cools, receiving the waters of one cold tributary as large 
as itself. The chubs ascend until they reach water fairly to be called hot, and the 
sucker is not far behind. The lower course of Witch Creek winds through grassy 
meadows with a bottom of fine lava gravel and sand. In this jiartof the stream fishes 
are excessively abundant, chiefly suckers and chubs. As already noticed, the suckers 
are here infested by a very large parasitic worm, but no worms were seen in the 
chubs. Witch Creek has at its mouth a temperature of about 75° F. 
Shoshone Lalce (elevation 7.740 feet) has a length of about 6^ miles and a width of 
one-half to 4^- miles, it being dumbbell shaped or constricted in the middle. Its area is 
about 12 square miles. At the head of the upper and smaller lobe of the lake is Sho- 
shone Creek, fed by numerous hot springs and geysers. Xo hot springs exist on the 
